A sponsored live in the snow above a ski resort without a tent.
I attempted this last year but inadvertantly got engaged and thus distracted but now I'm back, still engaged, and eager to give it another go. Currently I'm testing some kit and working out the logisics. There are various things to consider; how not to freeze to death, how to spend time with my fiance, how not to get carried away by an avalanche / yeti and how to not let this interfere with my job.

Wednesday, 19 April 2006

Green Stuff, loads of it.

It was kind of sunny when I walked to the bus this morning. It was lovely. I had gone back to the woods last night in shirt sleeves and with no other top, I left my rucksack at work so was unencumbered by possessions other than a sleeping bag packed very tightly into a day sack. I didn’t get back until after 8pm but it was still light, not very light but nevertheless it seemed like a luxury. Having not had much sleep over the weekend I went to bed at about 9 and lay there for a while feeling perfectly warm. Again a complete luxury; it was even warm enough not to have to do up the draw cords of the sleeping bag. I even discovered that I didn’t need to have my head inside the hood of the sleeping bag at all. It was absolute bliss to be lying out under the stars again without being wrapped up like a mummy against the cold with just a small hole for oxygen. I guess the best way of describing it would be as liberating, bit it is also taking a bit of getting used to, the winter was so long and so cold that I do have a bit of a problem with getting used to it being nice. It is a little like going on holiday I suppose, lying in bed not shivering is so nice an experience that it is almost like chilling on a beach somewhere. In a lot of ways it is better, there is no sunburn and no one trying to sell you tatty jewellery every five minutes.

I woke with the light at 6 and quite happily got up at about 6.15, not a sign of staying in bed huddled against the cold and then there being a mad panic and rush to the bus. It was all very civilised and most enjoyable walking sedately to the bus. I have noticed that over the past few weeks since it has become light enough to see that my view of my environment has been rather like that of time lapse photography. I have only really caught glimpses of the world around me. It started with jagged grey and brown branches, then the slow appearance of buds which have started to crack open revealing the very start of leaves I all shades of green. Slowly these buds explode like slow green fireworks all around me. At first just a suggestion of green would slide across the hedgerows but now, today, down the hill by the bus the hawthorn hedge is almost fully green. In the trees the fat buds on the Beech trees gently open revealing soft green roses of collected leaves ready to spread, grow and catch the sun. It really is amazing to see. Everything seemed dead, all was quiet but now the world around me is teeming with life.

Each dawn is met by the birds marking out their territory; it is, especially after the long silent winter with just the Kites and the Owls for company, a beautiful symphony. If one listens carefully it is possible to pick up layer upon layer of rhythm, tune and harmony that peaks about an hour after dawn. To a lesser extent the birds sing all day, song birds in the trees, a sky lark high above and the occasionally call of a Kite high above that. But just before dark a hush comes over the woods, calm descends and all is still. It is a good time to stop whatever task is at hand and relax a while with a cup of tea and mull awhile.

"a bloody idiot"Michael Parkinson"I did this for one night, and I'm shot to pieces."Ed Ceaser, The Independent"more Epicurean than eco-warrior"Jemima Lewis,The Guardian"a New Puritan poster boy"Lucy Siegle, The Observer

"If he sticks it out for a year, it will be difficult to return to the noise of the city."Professor John Collings - Before Ditch Monkey I"a bum"Bill Heine Radio Oxford